VOICE THE. Feast Day of our Patron Saint Spyridon. THE VOICE December Volume No. 257

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1 THE VOICE THE VOICE December Volume No. 257 TABLE OF CONTENTS Father s Article... 1 Stewardship... 3 Sunday School... 4 P.T.A News Archangels... 5 Announcements... 6 Parish Registry... 7 New Year s Eve... 8 Philoptochos... 9 Christian Fellowship... 10,11 Dinner Dance Update Food Pantry Κοινοτικά Νέα Liturgical Schedule Community Events ST. SPYRIDON HELLENIC ORTHODOX CHURCH S. RIDGELAND AVE. PALOS HEIGHTS, IL WWW. SAINT- SPYRIDON.ORG Hymn of Note Joyfully and with great anticipation the Christian world will soon celebrate the feast of the Nativity of our Lord. As Orthodox faithful, we shall be summoned to the divine services in order to receive the message of peace and good will that the angels declared at the sight of the Incarnate Messiah. Among the hymnographers who reflected on the meaning of the feast, Saint Cosmas the Melodist announces the revelation of the great mystery of the Incarnation with these words which begin the Hymn of Feast Day of our Patron Saint Spyridon Friday, December 9th Holy Unction 7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 11th Hierarchical Great Vespers 7:00 p.m. Monday, December 12th Orthros & Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m.

2 The Voice - H ΥΩNH Official Monthly Community Publication of St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church S. Ridgeland Avenue Palos Heights, IL REV. FR. TILEMAHOS ALIKAKOS IERATIKOS PROESTAMENOS Church Office Hours:... Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Phone: , 2313 or 0787 Fax: office@saint-spyridon.org Web: Parish Council Officers Taso Panagiotopoulos...President James Korbakes... 1st Vice-President Konstantinos Labrakis... 2nd V. President Tom Zentefis... Secretary Larry Kekempanos... Assistant Secretary Nicholas Chibucos... Treasurer Gus Kolyvas... Assistant Treasurer Auxiliary Officers Stylianos Bonanos... Chanter Toula Georgiopoulos... Philoptochos Georgia Theoharis... P.T.A. Ida Trakadas... Kentro Lambrini Stavrou...Plutarchos Greek School Anna Angelos... Zoe Kopanis... Sunday School Director Nicky Glikis... Choir Director Dana Vasilakos... G.O.Y.A. & Jr. G.O.Y.A. Yianna Halikias... Cherubs Patrice Pagunas... HOPE Fr. Tilemahos... Byzantine Music Panagiotis Mihalopoulos... Iconography Fr. Tilemahos... Bible Study Angela Sinzianu... Handmaidens Nick Chibucos... Altar Boys John Angelos... Athletics And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (cont d from page 1) Note for this month: A strange and most wonderful mystery do I see; the cave is heaven; the Virgin the throne of the cherubim; the manger a room, in which Christ, the God whom nothing can contain, is laid. Him do we praise and magnify. It would be easier for us, in the sight of the Lord s Incarnation to keep silence. It is difficult to contemplate the eternal Word of God descending among us in such a humble and vulnerable state simply for our sake. Saint Cosmas, along with all of us, is amazed at this great mystery brought about by the sacrificial love of God for every human being. The Incarnation of our Lord is the eternal proof that human nature was not created for a fallen world. Adam and Eve were made to be the only creatures of God capable of sharing in the life of their Creator. Man was made to share in the glory of the Holy Trinity, but sin destroyed his wings and he tumbled from the heights of heaven. The devil robbed him and stole from him his God-given grace. Christ mercifully comes to clothe us in our original garment and provide us with new wings by which He can offer us back to God. The angels who witness this mystery are pleased with the reconciliation between God and man that comes about in the presence of the Christ Child. The shepherds and the wise men were deemed worthy to recognize and witness this momentous event of a King born in a manger. More than two millennia later, we still witness through the eyes of faith and the hearing of the hymns and teachings of the gospel the same event that was praised by angels and men alike on that cold night in the small town of Bethlehem. While we ponder all this in our minds and hearts, we can t help but give a thought to the current state of affairs in the world and feel the humble temptation to ask: What did the world really gain by the Word s Incarnation? For thousands of years, hatred and greed have governed the hearts of individuals and nations. Deceit, exploitation, and violence are the trademarks of our age. We are inundated with acts of extreme inhumanity and lack of compassion. Even as the angels declare peace on earth, the wars have never stopped and the darkness of evil has barely been replaced by the light of Bethlehem s star. So what did the world really gain by the Lord s Incarnation? Well, the gain from this mystery is as unconventional as the matter by which it was accomplished. A King that comes in a cave in the obscurity of an enslaved little town is certainly not one who seeks to impose peace on earth by show of strength. What the world stands to gain by the Incarnation is the birth of a new possibility: Communion with God. Thanks to the Birth of Christ, every human being receives the possibility to start living in communion with God and in harmony with his 2 The Voice

3 STEWARDSHIP 2011 Stewardship 2011 Progress Report As of November 30th, 2011 Pledged Stewards: 354 Average Stewardship: $355 Amount of Stewardship donated: $125,670 The Stewardship Committee thanks our 354 Stewards who have fulfilled their pledge for the 2011 year. We have exceeded our goal of 350 stewards thanks to the support of our Saint Spyridon s faithful. We wish to express our gratitude for your commitment to the Lord s work through our Church of Saint Spyridon and we encourage everyone to offer their stewardship for the good of the Church. There is still time to pledge for 2011 and make this a record year.! To you who have not yet pledged, we ask of you to commit yourself and your family to the ministry of our Church and the glory of His name. The 2012 stewardship packets and calendars will be available by Christmas Day. Please help us save money on postage by picking up your stewardship packet in the fellowship hall or the church office before January 2nd, and let us work together to make 2012 another year of growth and renewed blessings for our beloved parish of Saint Spyridon. ΓΙΝΕ ΚΑΛΟ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΟ ΣΗ ΕΚΚΛΗΙΑ ΣΟΤ ΑΓΙΟΤ ΠΤΡΙΔΩΝΑ Ευχαριστούμε όλους τους 354 Ενορίτες που εκπλήρωσαν την προσφορά τους για το έτος Αν δεν έχετε παραδώσει τήν συνδρομή σας γιά την Εκκλησία μας, σας παρακαλούμε να το κάνετε το συντομώτερο δυνατόν. Χρειαζόμαστε την βοήθεια και την υποστήρηξη όλων σας. STEWARDS 2011 NOVEMBER 1ST-NOVEMBER 27TH Mrs. Irene Kavouras Ms. Angeline Mitsis Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Pappas Mr. & Mrs. Aristidis Berdusis Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kotsiviras Mr. & Mrs. Alexandros Stamatoglou Mr.& Mrs. Thomas Bisbikis Mr. & Mrs. George Aidonis Dr. & Mrs. Alex Alemis Mr. & Mrs. Larry Sakellaris Ms. Stella Parhas Mr. & Mrs. Kostas Mastoras Mr. & Mrs. Tom Les (cont d from page 2) brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a possibility that had not existed since the fall of Adam. The Incarnate Lord reconciles God and His creation; the subsequent Cross and Resurrection washes away our sins and transforms the reality of death into the gate of eternal life. Through becoming man, the Word of God opens the path to the cherished homeland of the heavens at the very moment in which we repent and recognize the mystery of the Christ Child. As we celebrate once again the Nativity of Christ, let us move from being just amazed at the mystery to actually living the mystery with great resolve and renewed effort. Most likely, the world in which we live will continue to marginalize the presence of the Incarnate Christ behind the veil of apathy and greed. We, in turn, imitate the shepherds and wise men, quietly living in gratitude for the honor and gift to recognize God with us and among us and within us, born onto us as a Child and Savior for all eternity. Amen. Fr. Tilemahos Alikakos St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 3

4 SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS On Saturday, November 5th, over fifty parishioners and friends participated in the walk for the IOCC at Swallow Cliffs Woods, in Palos Park. Two representatives from the IOCC came to greet the group of supporters. Many thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Frank and Zoe Kopanis for organizing the walk which turned out to be a wonderful day for everyone and which also raised $2,000 for the IOCC. The Religious Education staff and students will present the Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 18th, with a pageant rehearsal taking place on Saturday, December 17th. Please make plans to attend. After the Christmas break, Sunday School will resume on Sunday, January 8th with a vasilopita celebration in each classroom. Any parent that wishes to make the vasilopita for the class may contact their child s teacher. Our dedicated staff of our Religious Education School wishes all our students and their families a joyous Christmas and a blessed New Year. P.T.A. NEWS The Parent Teacher Association wishes to once again thank all the donors and volunteers who made this year s Dinner Dance Raffle a great success, with about $5,000 of proceeds for its ministries to our schools. On Sunday, November 13th, the P.T.A. hosted the Annual Godparents Luncheon with over 200 people in attendance. Once again the Vardallos and Alexopoulos families donated and cooked a delicious brunch enjoyed by all. Mrs. Diane Vasilakos designed all the beautiful centerpieces. Many thanks to all our donors and volunteers for an inspiring event honoring the relationships between our Godparents and their Godchildren. The P.T.A. is looking forward to the Saint Spyridon Feast Day, the Christmas Pageant, and the Vasilopita events to start the new year. The Sunday School vasilopita will take place on Sunday, January 8th, and the Greek School vasilopita on Monday, January 9th. Anyone interested to make the vasilopita for their child s classroom please contact your child s teacher. Our Greek School students are participating in the Agrafon essay contest in early December with the awards being presented at the Hellenic Letters Luncheon on Sunday, January 30th at the Chateau Ritz in Niles, IL. All our Greek School families are invited to attend the luncheon. Furthermore, some of our older Greek School students will participate in the Hellenic Letters celebration on Saturday, January 22nd, at Sts. Constantine & Helen in Palos Hills, where all the Chicago area Greek Schools will come to present a short program in honor of the Three Hierarchs. 4 The Voice

5 ARCHANGELS ACADEMY Students proudly wear their silly Thanksgiving hats. Each child also drew a picture of what they were thankful for... Anna-Maria is thankful for: Baba, Mama and rainbows! Panagiotis is thankful for: Father Tilemahos John is thankful for: Thea Greorgia s dog SUPER SIBLINGS George brought his little brother in for show and tell when he was child of the week. Students had a great time at the Museum of Industry! Some of the students pose in front of the Christmas tree from Greece at the Christmas Around the World Exhibit Alumni, Maria, came to visit and created an amazing skyscraper with her little brother Spyro. SCHOOL CALENDAR: Dec. 12th...Feast Day of St. Spyridon Dec. 15th...Field Trip to the Beverly Arts Center Dec. 21st...AM Class Christmas Pageant & Reception 11am LAST DAY OF CLASS FOR AM CLASS Dec. 22nd...PM Class Christmas Pageant & Reception 2pm LAST DAY OF CLASS FOR PM CLASS St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 5

6 ANNOUNCEMENTS METROPOLIS CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE The Metropolis of Chicago Christmas Open House will be held on Sunday, December 18th, 2011 beginning at 5:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend this gathering and receive the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Iakovos for Christmas and the New Year GOYA CAROLING The Goyans will be Christmas Caroling once again this year! We are looking forward to spreading Christmas cheer with our fellow parishioners. If anyone is interested in opening their homes on Friday, December 23rd, for this Christmas tradition, they may contact the church office as soon as possible to make reservations. FLOWERS FOR ST. SPYRIDON & CHRISTMAS If anyone is interested in donating towards the purchase of flowers for the adornment of our Church and Icons for the feast day of St. Spyridon and the Christmas season, please contact the Church office. CHRISTMAS CARD & APPEAL Express your wishes for the Christmas season to all the parishioners and friends through the community Christmas card. Donation for having your family included in the card is $25. We also kindly ask that you do not forget the church in your Christmas gift list. Please send your Christmas gift for the parish to the church office. ALTAR BOYS The altar boys will be training for the Feast Day services of December 11th & 12th. Their training meeting will take place on Saturday, December 10th, at 11:30 a.m.. Please remember that all altar boys are asked to attend and participate in the Great Vespers service on Sunday, December 11th at 7:00 p.m. and on Monday, December 12th, at 8:00 a.m.. Finally, Saint Stephen s Feast Day on December 27th, is dedicated to our altar boys. We will take our official 2011 altar boy photo immediately following the Divine Liturgy, and then have some pizza and games. Please plan to attend. ANNUAL GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF CHICAGO CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18TH His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos, will once again joyously open the Metropolis home at 40 East Burton Place in Chicago, Illinois, to the clergy, faithful and many friends of the Greek Orthodox Community during the Christmas holiday season. This year, the Metropolis Open House will be held on Sunday, December 18, 2011 beginning at 5:00 p.m. FELLOWSHIP HOUR During the month of December, the P.T.A. will be hosting the Fellowship hour following the Divine Liturgy. VASILOPITA CELEBRATION The Community Vasilopita will be on Sunday, January 8th, after the Divine Liturgy. We ask that all parishioners and friends join us for this very special beginning for the New Year. BULLETIN DEADLINE All Church groups are asked to have ALL information to be publicized in the following month s Bulletin/The Voice on or before the 15 th of each month. HELP NEEDED If anyone is interested in volunteering to do Data Input into our Church office Database, please contact the office. 6 The Voice

7 SACRAMENTS BAPTISMS The son of Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Glikis was baptized on November 5th and given the name Peter. Angie Mitsis was the sponsor. The daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Felix Briseno was baptized on November 5th and given the name Melina. Thomas Bisbikis was the sponsor. The son of Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Bisbikis was baptized on November 5th and given the name Konstantinos. Yiannis & Cindy Polyzos were the sponsors. The son of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Proutsos was baptized on November 5th and given the name Theodore. Thomas Sotos was the sponsor. PARISH REGISTRY The son of Mr. & Mrs. Demetri Tzoras was baptized on November 6th and given the name John. Mr. & Mrs. Peter Eliopulos were the sponsors. The son of Mr. & Mrs. Vasilios Nassis was baptized on November 13th and given the name Evangelos. Sotirios Panopoulos was the sponsor. The daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kunz was baptized on November 20th and given the name Sophia. Mr. & Mrs. Brian Latka were the sponsors. The daughter of Mr. & Mrs. John Papaioannou was baptized on November 27th and given the name Asimina Maria. Panayiota Karas was the sponsor. Να σας Ζήσουν! IN MEMORIAM FUNERALS Bessie Kotsiviras, fell asleep to the Lord on November 21st. Her Funeral took place on November 25th. Paula Fotsis fell asleep to the Lord on November 24th. Her Funeral took place on November 29th. May their memory be eternal! Our deepest sympathy to their families. MEMORIALS Sunday, November 13th 20 years for Spyridon Papadopoulos and 47 years for George Papadopoulos. Sunday, November 27th 14 years for Irene Papas and 25 years for Daniel Pappas. THANK YOU We wish to extend a special thank you: To the Anonymous donors of our Food Pantry. To Mrs. Alana Bechrakis preparing and distributing Thanksgiving Baskets for 19 needy families. Τo Mrs. Katerina Mastoras for coordinating this year s OCCA toy drive. To all the donors for the OCCA Christmas toy drive for the children in DCFS. To Hills Funeral Home for donating this year s Ecclesiastical Calendars. To all the parishioners who participated in the Feed the Hungry program. To all the parishioners who helped preparing for the Christian Fellowship Luncheon, on November 21st. To all the ladies and donors who assisted in our Christmas Craft Show. To the Alexopoulos and Vardallos families for donating and preparing the Godparents Sunday Brunch. To all the Dinner Dance Ad Book Advertisers and Donors. To all who responded so far to our Christmas Appeal. To all who baked prosfora, and bring wine, oil, and kolyva for our Sarantaleitourgo. St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 7

8 Where is the best place to ring in 2012? St. Spyridon s New Year s Eve Bash! Saturday, December 31st St. Spyridon Community Hall S. Ridgeland Avenue, Palos Heights An evening of fun for the whole family! Dinner and Dancing begin at 9:30 p.m. Dance the night away... Adults: $45 Children 12 & under: $15 For Reservations Call The Voice 8 St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church

9 Dear Parishioners and Friends of Philoptochos, PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS November has been a very busy month for our Philoptochos ladies with hosting many wonderful events, participating in charitable programs and busy with preparations for our Annual Craft Show that will take place on the 3 rd and 4 th of December. We started the month honoring Mrs. Jann Kolyvas and the Handmaidens for the love and contributions they have made to Philoptochos. Our entire community is proud of our young Handmaidens and we pray that our Lord will grant them the charismata and love as they continue to achieve their goals in life! We presented also our $1,000 dollar Annual Scholarship Award. The recipient this year was Miss Alexia Vasilopoulos. Alexia impressed us not only with her outstanding academic achievements but equally impressive was her involvement and dedication to community service and to her Church. Our Philoptochos ladies along with Fr. Tilemahos and some of our young Goyans participated in feeding the hungry at the Annunciation Cathedral.We all experienced the joy of serving our brothers who are in need. We thank everyone that helped with serving and passing out the warm clothing for our homeless friends. The most wonderful event of the month was hosting the Senior Luncheon for the Christian Fellowship of the south side communities. Everything was perfect! The food was delicious, the entertainment was lovely and love was in the air! I am still getting thank you cards and phone calls from friends of our neighboring churches saying how wonderful everything was and how we made everyone feel special! Many people worked hard to make this luncheon a huge success. We thank Fr. Tilemahos for his collaboration with the other priests and being instrumental in initiating the Christian Fellowship for our Seniors. We thank Presbytera Georgia for the informative flyers she created; the president of the Parish Council Mr. Taso Panagiotopoulos for securing the donations that made this luncheon cost free. Our wonderful Parish Council members who helped with the serving. Our chefs Mr. Gus Alikakos and Mr. Pete Kolyvas in the kitchen.. Mr. Kosta Alexopoulos for the delicious bean soup that he sent us and everyone loved. Dear friends, how wonderful it was to show our love and kindness to our guests and to our elderly friends from our community and from our neighboring churches. It was such an enjoyable day for all of us. In closing, I would like to commend each and every one of you for your love to Philoptochos. Let us continue to be Doers of the word of Our Lord and not Hearers only With Sisterly love, Toula Georgiopoulos St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 9

10 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP On Monday, November 21st, after the Divine Liturgy our Parish hosted a the Christian Fellowship Luncheon, open to all senior citizens of the southside parishes. Over 150 seniors came to share in this wonderful event which featured great food and live music. Many thanks to the Philoptochos, the donors and volunteers who made this event truly memorable. 10 The Voice

11 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 11

12 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP As always we would like to thank everyone who attended in our annual dinner dance this year. As you can see from the results, it was a great success for our parish with almost 400 people attending. The net profit from the community dinner dance supports in the Operations of our church. The results below exclude any raffle proceeds as well half the Net Ad book revenue which go to the PTA of our church. The financial results of the dinner dance for the last 3 years are summarized in the following table: ANNUAL DINNER DANCE REPORT 12 The Voice

13 DIAKONIA AGAPES - ALMSGIVING We wish to thank all our parishioners and friends of St. Spyridon for remembering our Food Pantry for Thanksgiving (19 families). As you know, our Food Pantry helps our St. Spyridon families that have a need for assistance. Our Food Pantry also helps the friends of St. Spyridon, on a daily and weekly basis. It is very important that we keep our Food Pantry filled at all times, so that we do not turn anyone away because of lack of food. Christ is born! Glorify Him! The words ring out...announcing the birth of a special child the Saviour, Emmanuel, God with us! How can we celebrate such an awesome happening in the history of our world God coming to earth, born of a Virgin, living in poverty, giving of Himself to save us. He Who is Love, expects us to love to give to ourselves to others. Let us, amid all of the celebrations, reach out to others who are lonely or have special needs the sick, the elderly, those who live alone, the poor. Let us touch them in the name of Christ. The following Christmas Dinner food items are needed to supply our families food for their Holiday Dinners: turkey, ham, ground beef, potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables (canned), cranberry sauce, apples and oranges (fresh), pies (fresh or frozen), dressing (stuffing), margarine or butter, onions, celery, fresh veggies and fruit, cake mix and frosting, flour, sugar and oil. If anyone wishes to donate any of the above mentioned items, or any other items for this special delivery, please contact Effie at the church office. All donations should be at Church by December 19 th. But whoever has this world s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (John 3:17). ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CARD ΦΡΙΣΟΤΓΕΝ- ΝΙΑΣΙΚΗ ΚΑΡΣΑ Save time and postage by joining the St. Spyridon family to wish all your friends and family a Merry Christmas. Community Card forms have been mailed to all the parishioners. Please submit your completed form with a check for $25. The deadline is December 12th. Για την συμμετοχή σας στην Ετήσια Φριστουγεννιάτικη Κοινοτική Κάρτα παρακαλούμε να στείλετε το όνομά σας με δωρεά $25 στο γραφείο της Εκκλησίας μας μέχρι τις 12 Δεκεμβρίου. ας ευχαριστούμε για την υποστήριξή σας καί τις ευχές σας για έναν ευλογημένο εορτασμό των Φριστουγέννων. KENTRO Stop by St. Spyridon s Kentro Bookstore for unique and inspirational holiday gifts. We have some lovely one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments as well as, lovely icon bracelets and books to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Come in and browse for many more gift-giving ideas! Our staff will be happy to assist you. And if you don t see it, ask! We ll be happy to order for you. St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 13

14 14 The Voice ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΑ ΝΕΑ ΑΠΟΘΖΘΖ ΣΡΟΦΗΚΧΛ Θα θέλαμε να ευχαριστήσουμε όλους όσους, με μεγάλη γενναιοδωρία, δώρησαν τρόφιμα και χρήματα για την εορτή των Ευχαριστηρίων. Ευχαριστούμε ιδιαίτερα την κ. Μπεχράκη που προετοίμασε και μοίρασε τα καλάθια τροφίμων για την εορτή των Ευχαριστηρίων σε 19 οικογένειες. Τούτον τόν μήνα ζητούμε την υποστήριξη όλων για να μπορέσουμε να διαθέσουμε τα απαραίτητα αγαθά για το τραπέζι της εορτής των Χριστουγέννων σε 20 οικογένειες. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες μπορείτε να επικοινωνήσετε με το γραφείο της Εκκλησίας μας. ΔΙΙΖΛΗΘΟ ΥΟΙΔΗΟ «ΠΙΟΤΣΑΡΥΟ» Την Παρασκευή 9 Δεκεμβρίου θα έχουμε συνάντηση Γονέων Διδασκάλων και ελέγχους για το 1ο τρίμηνο. Την Δευτέρα 19 Δεκεμβρίου, μετά το τέλος των μαθημάτων, θα αρχίσουν οι διακοπές των Χριστουγέννων. Τα μαθήματα θα αρχίσουν και πάλι την Παρασκευή 6 Ιανουαρίου. Η κοπή της Βασιλόπιττας του Ελληνικού Σχολείου θα γίνει την Δευτέρα 9 Ιανουαρίου. Η διευθύντρια του σχολείου μας κ. Λαμπρινή Σταύρου και όλο το διδασκαλικό προσωπικό, σας εύχονται Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευλογημένο το ΣΟ ΠΑΕΑΡΗ ΣΖ ΔΛΟΡΗΑ ΚΑ Το Σάββατο 3 Δεκεμβρίου από τις 9:00 το πρωί μέχρι τις 4:00 το απόγευμα, καθώς και την Κυριακή 4 Δεκεμβρίου από τις 11:00 το πρωί μέχρι τις 4:00 το απόγευμα η Φιλόπτωχος Αδελφότητα θα έχει το Ετήσιο Γιορτινό Παζάρι. ΙΟΤΙΟΤΓΗΑ ΠΡΟ ΣΟΙΗΚΟΛ Εαν θέλετε να δώσετε χρήματα για την αγορά των Λουλουδιών για τον στολισμό του Ιερού Ναού μας κατά την εορτή του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνα, καθώς και την εορτή των Χριστουγέννων, ή αν επιθυμείτε να δωρείσετε για τα μπουκαλάκια αγιασμού, παρακαλούμε να επικoινωνήσετε με το Γραφείο της Εκκλησίας μας. ΘΟΠΖ ΒΑΗΙΟΠΗΣΣΑ Το κόψιμο της Κοινοτικής μας Βασιλόπιττας θα γίνει την Κυριακή 8 Ιανουαρίου αμέσως μετά την Θεία Λειτουργία. Παρακαλούμε όλους τους Ενορίτες και φίλους να παρευρεθούν. ΥΡΗΣΟΤΓΔΛΛΗΑΣΗΘΔ ΔΤΥΔ Ο πατήρ Τηλέμαχος, ο πατήρ Νικηφόρος, ο πρόεδρος και τα μέλη του Κοινοτικού μας συμβουλίου, η πρόεδρος και τα μέλη της Φιλοπτώχου Αδελφότητας, η πρόεδρος και τα μέλη του Συλλόγου Γονέων και Διδασκάλων, οι Διδάσκαλοι του Ελληνικού, του Κατηχητικού Σχολείου και της Ακαδημίας των Αρχαγγέλων, και ολόκληρο το προσωπικό της Κοινότητας του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνα σας εύχονται: ΚΑΛΑ ΦΡΙΣΟΤΓΕΝΝΑ & ΕΤΣΤΦΙΜΕΝΟ ΣΟ ΝΕΟ ΕΣΟ! ΔΠΗΘΔΦΖ ΣΖΛ ΗΔΡΑ ΚΖΣΡΟΠΟΙΖ Ο Σεβασμιώτατος Μητροπολίτης κ.κ. Ιάκωβος μας προσκαλεί όλους μας να τον επισκεφθούμε και να πάρουμε τις ευλογίες του για τις εορτές των Χριστουγέννων και του Νέου Έτους, την Κυριακή 18 Δεκεμβρίου. ΠΡΧΣΟΥΡΟΛΗΑΣΗΘΟ ΡΔΒΔΓΗΟΛ 2012 Προσκαλούμε όλους τους φίλους και ενορίτες του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνα να γιορτάσουμε τον ερχομό του Νέου Έτους όλοι μαζί σαν μία οικογένεια. Φαγητό, μουσική και χορός για να γιορτάσουμε το Νέο Έτος. Για κρατήσεις θέσεων σας παρακαλούμε να απευθυνθείτε στο γραφείο της ενορίας μας. ΥΡΗΣΟΤΓΔΛΛΗΑΣΗΘΑ ΘΑΙΑΛΣΑ Αυτή τη χρονιά τα παιδιά της Ενορίας μας είναι ανυπόμονα να συνεχίσουν το όμορφο έθιμο των Χριστουγεννιάτικων Καλάντων. Αν επιθυμείτε να έρθουν τα παιδιά στο σπίτι σας για να σας πουν τα κάλαντα την Παρασκευή, 23 Δεκεμβρίου, σας παρακαλούμε να επικοινωνήσετε με το γραφείο της Εκκλησίας μας. ΥΡΗΣΟΤΓΔΛΛΗΑΣΗΘΟ ΠΡΟΓΡΑΚΚΑ Θα θέλαμε να σας ενημερώσουμε ότι την Κυριακή 18 Δεκεμβρίου, οι μαθητές του Κατηχητικού και του Ελληνικού Σχολείου θα παρουσιάσουν το Χριστουγεννιάτικο πρόγραμμα της Γεννήσεως του Χριστού μας, μετά την Θεία Λειτουργία.

15 Thursday, December 1st Friday, December 2nd Saturday, December 3rd Sunday, December 4th Monday, December 5th Tuesday, December 6th Wednesday, December 7th Thursday, December 8th Friday, December 9th Saturday, December 10th Sunday, December 11th Monday, December 12th Tuesday, December 13th Wednesday, December 14th Thursday, December 15th Friday, December 16th Saturday, December 17th Sunday, December 18th Monday, December 19th Tuesday, December 20th Wednesday, December 21st Thursday, December 22nd Friday, December 23rd Saturday, December 24th SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25th Tuesday, December 27th Saturday, December 31st Sunday, January 1st SCHEDULE OF DIVINE SERVICES St. Philaret, Orthros, Divine Liturgy & Agiasmos 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. * Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. 10th Sunday of Luke, Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) Great Vespers at St. Nicholas 7:00 p.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas, Oak Lawn 9:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) * Holy Unction 7:00 p.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) * Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. 11th Sunday of Luke, Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Feast Day of Saint Spyridon, Hierarchical Great Vespers 7:00 p.m. St. Spyridon the Wonderworker, Orthros & Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 8 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. St. Eleftherios Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. * Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. Sunday before Nativity Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church)* Paraklesis 6:30 p.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. (Holy Cross Church) Royal Hours 8:00 a.m. Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. * Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. CHRISTMAS DAY Orthros & Liturgy of St. Basil 8:00 a.m. St. Stephen the First Martyr Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. New Years Day, Our Lord s Circumcision * Saint Basil the Great, Orthros, St. Basil s Divine Liturgy and Doxology for the New Year 8:00 a.m. St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 15

16 December 2011 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 4 Sunday School Christmas Bazaar 11 Sunday School Feast of St. Spyridon Hierarchical 7:00 p.m. 18 Christmas Pageant Metropolis Open House 25 Christmas Day 5 Archangels Greek School-4:30 pm 12 Feast of St. Spyridon Orthros & Divine 8:00 a.m. Archangels Greek School-4:30 pm 19 Archangels Greek School-4:30 pm Greek Bible Study- 7pm 6 Cherubs 10:00 a.m. 13 Cherubs 10:00 a.m. 20 Cherubs 10:00 a.m Altar Boy Day Philoptochos Christmas Party 7 Bible Study 11:00 a.m. Byz. Music 6 pm Iconography - 6 pm 14 Bible Study 10:30 a.m. Byz. Music 6 pm Iconography - 6 pm 21 Bible Study 10:30 a.m. Byz. Music 6 pm Iconography - 6 pm 1 Byz. Music 6:30 pm GOYA & Jr. GOYA 7pm 8 Byz. Music 6:30 pm Parish Council 7:30 pm 15 Byz. Music 6:30 pm GOYA & Jr. GOYA 7pm 22 (p.m. only) Byz. Music 6:30 pm 2 Greek School 4:30 p.m. 9 Gr. School - 4:30 p.m. (Parent -Teacher Conference) 16 Greek School 4:30 p.m. P.T.A. meeting 5 p.m. 23 GOYA Caroling 5pm Set-up for Community New Year s Eve Dinner Dance 3 Christmas Bazaar 10 Handmaidens 10a.m. Altar Boy Meetng 11:30am 17 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal New Year s Eve Dinner Dance

17 ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΙΕΡΩΝ ΑΚΟΛΟΤΘΙΩΝ Πέμπτη 1 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Παρασκευή 2 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. άββατο 3 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. * Εσπερινός 6:00 μ.μ. Κυριακή 4 Δεκεμβρίου 10η Κυριακή του Λουκά -Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Δευτέρα 5 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Σρίτη 6 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:30 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Αγίου Νικoλάου) Σετἀρτη 7 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Πέμπτη 8 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Παρασκευή 9 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τ. Σταυρού) - Ευχέλαιο 7:00 μ.μ. άββατο 10 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Εσπερινός 6:00 μ.μ. Κυριακή 11 Δεκεμβρίου 11η Κυριακή του Λουκά -Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίου πυρίδωνος 7:00 μ.μ. Δευτέρα 12 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Αρχιερατική Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Σρίτη 13 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Σετἀρτη 14 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Πέμπτη 15 Δεκεμβρίου Αγίου Ελευθερίου -Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Παρασκευή 16 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. άββατο 17 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. * Εσπερινός 6:00 μ.μ. Κυριακή 18 Δεκεμβρίου Κυριακή προ των Χριστουγέννων -Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Δευτέρα 19 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος & Θ. Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τ. Σταυρού) * Παράκληση 6:30 μ.μ. Σρίτη 20 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Σετἀρτη 21 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Πέμπτη 22 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. (Ι.Ν. Τιμίου Σταυρού) Παρασκευή 23 Δεκεμβρίου Ακολουθία Βασιλικών Ωρών 8:00 π.μ. άββατο 24 Δεκεμβρίου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. * Εσπερινός 6:00 μ.μ. Κυριακή 25 Δεκεμβρίου ΦΡΙΣΟΤΓΕΝΝΑ Ορθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Σρίτη 27 Δεκεμβρίου Αγίου Στεφάνου, Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. άββατο 31 Ιανουαρίου Μέγας Εσπερινός 6:00 μ.μ. Κυριακή 1 Ιανουαρίου Η κατά σάρκα περιτομή του Κυρίου και ωτήρος ημών Ιησού Φριστού, Όρθρος, Θεία Λειτουργία, Αρτοκλασία και Δοξολογία 8:00 π.μ. St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 17

18 St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church S. Ridgeland Avenue Palos Heights, IL Address Correction Requested Attend Church Regularly with Your Family! Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Permit #52 Palos Heights, IL. CALENDAR OF EVENTS Dec. 3rd & 4h Christmas Craft Show Dec. 8th Parish Council Meeting Dec. 11th & 12th St. Spyridon s Feast Day Dec. 18th Metropolis Open House Dec. 18th Christmas Pageant Dec. 23rd GOYA Caroling Dec. 25th CHRISTMAS DAY Dec. 27th Altar Boy Day Dec. 27th Philoptochos Christmas Party Dec. 31st New Year s Eve Dinner Dance Jan. 8th Community & Metropolis Come do your Christmas shopping at the Annual Philoptochos ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW Crafts, Greek Pastries, Greek Food Saturday, December 3rd 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. & Sunday, December 4th 12 noon - 4:00 p.m. Vasilopita